NEWS ROUNDUP: EgyptAir Plane Vanishes Over Mediterranean Sea…AND MORE

Search crews are still scouring the sea to see if there are any survivors.

An EgyptAir plane flying from Paris to Cairo with 66 passengers on board vanished and most likely crashed over the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday, according to French President François Hollande. The aircraft reportedly made several rapid turns before it went off the radar. The plane had just flown into Egyptian airspace before it made a 90-degree left turn and went missing. Most of the passengers on board were from France and Egypt. There were 10 crew members and 56 passengers on the plane, including young children. Search crews are still scouring the sea to see if there are any survivors. The cause of the crash remains unknown. Egypt’s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said that speculations about mechanical issues with the aircraft or terrorism are too early to determine. EgyptAir made headlines two months ago when a man boarded and hijacked a plane claiming that he was wearing a vest with explosives. Read more.

Joe Jackson Hospitalized

Joe Jackson, head of the infamous Jackson family, has been hospitalized. The 87-year-old has been in a Los Angeles hospital since Friday after falling ill while he was being tested by his doctor. “It was very serious, but he is out of danger now,” said a close source. “We still have to keep a close watch on him.” His son Jermaine Jackson recently spoke out about his father’s condition. “Listen, my father’s very strong. He’s up there telling jokes, and he’s very strong. He’s doing fine … We’re just making sure to hold on to him as long as we can. That’s what’s most important.” Last year, Jackson was hospitalized in Brazil after reportedly suffering a stroke and heart arrhythmia. Read more.

Prince’s Alleged Niece and Grandniece File Claims for His Estate

More individuals claiming to be related to the late legendary singer Prince are taking legal action to get a piece of his estate. Prince’s alleged niece and grandniece, the daughter and granddaughter of his alleged half-brother Duane Joseph Nelson, filed claims on Wednesday; 31-year-old Brianna Nelson and 11-year-old Victoria Nelson filed the paperwork in a Minnesota probate court. The 11-year-old’s mother Jeannine Halloran signed as her legal guardian. Duane passed away in March 2011 and was not listed by Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson as an heir when she filed the probate case in April following Prince’s death. The Nelsons’ lawyer Andrew Stoltmann said despite Duane Joseph Nelson not being listed, there shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to getting their share. “It could have just been an oversight. I’m not reading nefarious intent into it,” he said. “They’re entitled to their share, and we’re assuming it’s going to be an amicable process.” The judge may require that a DNA test be conducted to make a decision. Read more.

Trump Lies About His Views Surrounding Abortion

GOP frontrunner Donald Trump is backtracking on statements he made surrounding women and abortion. Back in March he stated there “has to be some form of punishment” for women who undergo abortion procedures if they become illegal. In a New York Times interview published on Wednesday, he claimed that his statement was misconstrued. “I didn’t mean punishment for women like prison. I’m saying women punish themselves,” he said. “I didn’t want people to think in terms of ‘prison’ punishment. And because of that I walked it back.” Trump has been flip-flopping on the abortion issue for some time now. He praised Planned Parenthood for doing “very good work,” but said that the organization should be defunded if it continues to offer abortions. While most women are opposed to Trump’s views, he still believes he’s the best candidate for women’s issues. “I’m going to be better to women on women’s issues than Hillary Clinton and everybody else combined,” he said. Read more.